POMED-Safadi Foundation USA Event

You're Invited: New Media and Reform in the Middle East: The Case of Lebanon

Safadi Foundation USA and the Project on Middle East Democracy (POMED) present:

New Media and Reform in the Middle East: The Case of Lebanon

The year 2009 witnessed an explosion of Internet-based activism in the political cultures of the Middle East. From the so-called Iranian "Twitter Revolution," which helped Green Movement activists mobilize and organize their protests on the streets of Tehran, to the recent imprisonment of prominent bloggers in Egypt and other countries, the Internet has finally become a force to be reckoned with in Arab politics.

The use of information and communication technology (ICT) in the Middle East has been a transformative tool in strengthening civil society and expanding the outreach of independent voices. In her remarks concerning Internet freedom last month, Secretary Clinton noted the power of the Internet and new technologies in helping to bridge divides between people of different faiths and help expand dialogue.

What types of U.S. assistance are needed to empower young reformers committed to non-sectarian politics? What is the role of ICT in promoting inter-faith dialogue and peace building? Can ICT help organize young voters in advance of the upcoming municipal elections? What is the direction of new media training in Lebanon?

Please join us for a discussion with:

Jared Cohen, Policy Planning Staff, U.S. Department of State

Elias Muhanna, Blogger, QifaNabki.com

Moderated by: Mona Yacoubian, Director, Lebanon Working Group, United States Institute of Peace (USIP)

Friday, March 5, 2010
11:00 AM
Rayburn House Office Building
Room 2255

Please RSVP here or by email to: rsvp@pomed.org

Safadi Foundation USA is a non-partisan registered 501 (c) (3) public charitable tax-exempt organization dedicated to promoting a national and strategic framework for Lebanon's development.

CONTACT: Lara Alameh of Safadi Foundation USA, +202-349-0890, lalameh@safadifoundationusa.org